EDS questions EPA role in Anadarko approvals

The
Environmental Defence Society has questioned whether the
Anadarko exploration project off the coast of Raglan is
lawful.

“The Environmental Protection Authority is
required to accept the company’s Environmental Impact
Assessment. But the EPA has confirmed to us that it has not
seen the Emergency Response Plan, part of the EIA, which
Anadarko has prepared, that covers off what would happen in
the event of an oil well blow-out,” said EDS Chairman Gary
Taylor.

“As Anadarko’s EIA conceded, a blow-out has a
low probability but would have severe consequences for the
marine and coastal environment. It is the biggest concern
that we have and I think that would be shared by most New
Zealanders.

“It is therefore surprising and disturbing
that the EPA has not seen the ERP and has instead relied on
Maritime New Zealand doing so. But the Exclusive Economic
Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act
2012 requires the EPA to do that - and it can’t simply
pass that responsibility to another agency.

“To do that
is arguably unlawful and that means that Anadarko may not be
authorised to drill under the Act’s transitional
provisions.

“EPA Chief Executive Rob Forlong has advised
EDS that “Anadarko provided us with an overview of their
Discharge Management Plan as an appendix in both their
Taranaki and Canterbury Impact Assessments. The full
emergency response plan is contained within an annex of the
Discharge Management Plan that Maritime New Zealand approved
on the 15th of November”.

“By failing to even see the
company’s full plans to deal with an oil spill, the EPA is
failing in its statutory duty to confirm the completeness of
the EIA.

“Moreover, Maritime New Zealand has failed to
act transparently with its separate approvals process and
intends making a decision about whether to make the
Discharge Management Plan and Emergency Response Plan
available only after drilling has started. This is
unacceptable. It means the public has no idea what
arrangements have been made to respond to an oil spill and
whether they amount to best practice or something
less.

“Overall, the regulators of the Anadarko project
are behaving badly. This will have a corrosive effect on
public confidence that the regulators been thorough,” said
Mr Taylor.

EDS is a not-for-profit environmental organisation committed to improving environmental outcomes within New Zealand.

The Environmental Defence Society (EDS) is a professionally run, independent environmental group that was established in 1971. It brings together the disciplines of science, planning, landscape and the law.

MORE ABOUT EDS

It operates as a think-tank, providing thought leadership on key environmental issues as well as representing the environment before councils and the courts.

EDS is located at the collaborative and business aware end of the environmental movement, seeking constructive engagement with all sectors, to achieve good environmental and economic outcomes for all New Zealanders. It has influence.

It also plays an education role, helping business, councils, community groups and iwi to better understand best practice resource management. EDS runs national and regional conferences and seminars on topical issues.

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